Let's Go Back to Kerouac

dedicated to the father of the beat generation

Let’s go back to Kerouac -

compulsive writing

kept him fighting

to find meaning

without demeaning

without disrupting

or interrupting

or corrupting

his freedom elations

or personal relations -

blogging on a scroll -

giving readers little role -

rejecting middle class’s

narrow minded asses -

thoughts others did suppress

he found easy to express -

a dropout with passion

who rejected fashion -

his life a ‘beat’itude

was filled with attitude -

often misunderstood

he couldn’t know he would

be labeled a communist

for words that he would twist -

 

He didn’t like to edit

so publishers rarely read it -

a famous Buddhist taught

the first thought

is the best thought

and from this arose

spontaneous prose -

his stream of conscious style

led him to make a pile

of words that only he could see

swimming in his language sea -

a sea of words within us flow

that others rarely know

 

Kerouac did show a way

for those who write every day

to be less inhibited

and to be less riveted

to words that rhyme

and stay in time -

 

for learning to turn down the heat

Kerouac can’t be beat -

 

so why do I rhyme?

Reviews

[THE BLACK SEAL]

My earlier review of this work was tainted as i misunderstod its intent. I am glad to have the chance to re-review it. Rather than be sophomoric..lol it is a fantastic display of your ability to ryme and you are a quite clever wordsmith. As i sadi before i enjoyed it, and now thta i understand it more fully i think it is quite a god and unique work... thank you

[Dylan Patrick]

I was looking through the titles of your work to find one that would spark my interest, saw Kerouac's name, and just had to click on the poem. I felt you sketched a decent portrayal of a part of who Kerouac was, mostly the second part, and that your rhyming and rhythm were of good quality. I thank you for accepting my friend request and am glad to have you as one.

[Kelly A. Brown]

Long live Kerouac---my soulmate in spirit.

[TL Boehm]

why do I ryhme? well because papa Ed...you can like no one else. Sorry for my delayed review. peace.

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

Wonderful tribute...excellent on many levels...very inspiring as well. Thank you for sharing.
Light,
Siddartha

[Rain]

Great tribute, with many truths in many lines. It was where I started writing. He is a one of a kind, and you somehow managed to let those who have never heard of him..see a piece of him. Great write. Rain..

[Helen Woodward]

I give up! Why do you rhyme? Kerouac & Ghandi made huge inroads and were both grossly misunderstood in their time because like so many before and after their time they were seen as crackpots, a brick short of the load so to speak. there were others like John Lennon to name one. Peace loving people who meant no harm, only good and are now considered legends. Sheesh, what a fickle world we live in, I am not all that familiar with Kerouac and the 'beat', but have heard comments in passing. Narrow minded asses is well defined and I loved your reference to the Beatitudes...very clever Ed...could you have used a smaller font??? I enjoyed this rant and you make very valid points throughout, your words are never wasted.
Helen :)